Salihu Lukman, a former national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the North-West, has asserted that President Bola Tinubu will be difficult to defeat in the 2027 elections unless the opposition establishes a strong rapport with the Nigerian populace.

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In a recent statement, Lukman acknowledged the considerable challenge facing the opposition, noting that many Nigerians may struggle to trust politicians who promise a brighter future after experiencing disappointment under the APC, which had initially campaigned for change in 2015.

He emphasized that the movement to “rescue Nigeria” must transcend mere sentiment aimed at defeating the APC and President Tinubu.

Instead, it should focus on developing a well-defined vision for the country’s progress.

Lukman questioned the nature of the opposition political platform, suggesting that if it is merely designed to nominate candidates for elections, it will ultimately mirror the weaknesses of existing parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

He stressed the importance of encouraging opposition leaders to break away from practices that reduce political parties to mere election platforms, which he believes underlies the challenges faced by Nigerian democracy.

He called for leading opposition figures, such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to take on key roles in a new political party, serving as National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman, and National Secretary.

Lukman also urged the inclusion of disaffected APC leaders committed to forming a new opposition party, including prominent figures like Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

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“To genuinely rescue Nigeria, opposition leaders must prioritize addressing party funding challenges,” Lukman noted.

He emphasized the need for adequate budgeting to cover remuneration and conditions of service for party leaders at all levels.

He advocated for the new opposition platform to adopt an inclusive and citizen-friendly approach to encourage wider electoral participation across the country.

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Lukman also called for opposition leaders to develop a comprehensive national strategy that could increase Nigeria’s annual budget from less than N40 trillion to at least N150 trillion.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of state governments committing to raising their annual budgets to a minimum of N1 trillion, similar to Lagos State, which is currently the only state operating at that level.

Lukman questioned whether the proposed opposition party would merely serve as an election vehicle or evolve into a broader political organization capable of attracting competent leaders.

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He posed critical inquiries about whether opposition leaders like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso would prioritize the collective progress of Nigeria over their individual ambitions for the 2027 elections.

He concluded by highlighting the need for negotiations among opposition leaders to extend participation to a broader segment of Nigerians, which could compel politicians to prioritize taking on leadership roles within their parties.

He cautioned against a scenario where these initiatives devolve into self-serving campaigns for election candidacy, potentially resulting in leaders who may prove less effective than those currently in power.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, warning that it poses a serious threat to national security and stability.

In a statement released on Tuesday by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel, the senator urged Nyesom Wike, the current FCT Minister and former Rivers State Governor, to allow his successor, Governor Sim Fubara, to govern the state without interference, as stipulated by the constitution.

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The growing tension between Wike and Fubara over control of the state’s politics and governance has fueled a political crisis that has seen violence, the destruction of government institutions, defections of political figures, and a general breakdown of law and order.

Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed the need for President Tinubu’s immediate intervention to protect citizens, ensure the neutrality of state institutions, and promote peace and justice.

She warned that failing to address the situation could lead to further instability.

“The situation in Rivers demands urgent attention, and I implore Mr. President to take decisive action to prevent further escalation. We cannot afford to watch as the crisis deepens, threatening the stability of the region. President Tinubu’s leadership is crucial in resolving this impasse,” the senator said.

She added, “If left unchecked, the crisis may undermine Nigeria’s democratic progress, embolden perpetrators of violence and electoral malpractices, and threaten national security and stability.”

Prince Diran Odeyemi, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has attributed the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State to the ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is eyeing the 2027 presidential election.

During an interactive session organized by the League of Veteran Journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday, Odeyemi asserted that the strife between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike is directly connected to Atiku’s presidential aspirations.

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He urged Atiku to withdraw from the race for the PDP’s presidential ticket to foster peace within the party.

Additionally, Odeyemi called on Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to work towards restoring unity within the PDP.

“For peace to return to the PDP, Atiku should publicly announce his decision to refrain from contesting the 2027 presidential election. Similarly, Wike should demonstrate his commitment to fostering peace within the party,” Odeyemi stated.

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He warned that without these commitments from both leaders, the internal conflict within the PDP is likely to continue. “They must recognize their responsibilities as leaders and elders in Nigeria. To ensure the party’s advancement and the country’s stability, they need to agree that peace is essential. As long as members remain divided between the two factions, the crisis will persist.”

Odeyemi characterized the situation in Rivers State as reflective of the broader crisis facing the PDP nationally, explaining that factions supporting Fubara align with Atiku, while those loyal to Wike oppose him.

In his remarks on the administration of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Odeyemi, who also chairs the Governing Council of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, commended Adeleke for his notable achievements in office, citing significant progress across various sectors in less than two years.

He praised the governor for effectively managing the state’s resources and minimizing waste, anticipating further infrastructure improvements in the future.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has reaffirmed Mr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fully recognize his leadership.

The judgement, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on Tuesday, instructed INEC to grant the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership all the rights and privileges associated with a duly registered political party in Nigeria.

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In addition, the court ordered INEC to carry out its legal duty by providing refresher training for the upload of Labour Party agents onto the INEC portal and to issue Abure the necessary Access Code for the Ondo Governorship Election scheduled for November 16, 2024.

This ruling was the result of a suit filed by Abure, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, in which INEC was the sole defendant.

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Abure, in an affidavit supporting his case, explained that after the passing of the previous National Chairman of the Labour Party, he was elected Acting National Chairman at a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on March 29, 2021, in Benin City, Edo State.

He further told the court that at another NEC meeting on April 18, 2023, in Asaba, Delta State, which was monitored by INEC, the party resolved to renew the tenures of State Chairmen whose terms had expired.

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During that same meeting, members involved in anti-party activities were expelled, and replacements for vacant positions were made.

Abure stated that following a consensus at the meeting, the party held a National Convention on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State, where he was formally elected as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

Under his leadership, the party fielded candidates for governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.

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On June 28, 2024, INEC issued a notice to Abure and 18 other party chairmen regarding the inspection of sensitive election materials for the Ondo and Edo state governorship elections.

However, Abure complained that he was excluded from a later INEC notice instructing political parties to nominate two IT personnel for training on uploading data to the INEC portal for the Ondo gubernatorial election.

He only became aware of the notice on August 21, 2024, through his involvement with the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).

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As a result, Abure asked the court to compel INEC to recognize him as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. In his ruling, Justice Nwite agreed with Abure, stating:

“I am of the view that and so hold that the basis of these cogent verifiable documents, the defendant’s attempt to impeach the validity of the leadership of the plaintiff fails. The plaintiff has proved his case.”

Justice Nwite continued:

“I hereby make an order compelling the defendant to accord the plaintiff’s political party under the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure all the rights and privileges accorded a political party duly registered in Nigeria.”

This judgement comes in the wake of a leadership crisis within the Labour Party. Last month, the party’s NEC removed Abure as National Chairman during a stakeholders’ meeting hosted by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State in Umuahia.

The meeting, chaired by former Labour Party presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi, resulted in the formation of a 29-member caretaker committee, with former finance minister Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as Chairperson and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha as Secretary.

Despite this internal dispute, the court has now affirmed Abure’s leadership as legitimate.

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has appointed Dr. Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam, a former Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development in Enugu State, as an Associate Professor.

The announcement was contained in a letter signed by the Deputy Registrar of the university, Omage-Umeh T. M. (Mrs.).

Dr. Nnam was recognized for his extensive contributions to academia and public service.

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After his service as commissioner, the senior lecturer, who holds a Ph.D in Geo-informatics and Surveying, dedicated his career to teaching and mentoring students at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, often doing so, free of charge.

Responding to the appointment, Dr. Nnam who could not hide his joy, expressed gratitude to the university management for the recognition.

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He stated, “I am deeply honored by this appointment and grateful for the opportunity to contribute my expertise to UNIBEN. Education is my passion, and I look forward to inspiring the next generation of geo-informatics professionals.”

Dr. Nnam emphasized his commitment to advancing the field of geo-informatics and fostering collaboration between academic institutions and public service sectors.

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He noted that he aims to leverage his experience in governance to enhance the academic curriculum and provide students with practical insights into the application of geo-informatics in urban planning and development.

His appointment is expected to further strengthen the department of Geo-informatics, enriching the learning environment for students.

Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) has dismissed claims circulating on social media about the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winning the October 5 Local Government Election in Essien Udim LGA.

The viral video, which showed a man identified as Professor Atting declaring a PDP victory, has been debunked by the commission.

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In an interaction with the media, AKISIEC Chairman, Mr. Aniedi Ikoiwak, clarified that the returning officer for Essien Udim was not Professor Atting, but Professor Uduak Okon from the University of Uyo’s Department of Medical Sciences.

According to the official results, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Ntiedo Usoro Effiong, secured 51,751 votes, while the PDP candidate, Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday, garnered 22,799 votes, resulting in the APC’s victory in the area.

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Ikoiwak explained that the confusion arose after the Electoral Officer (EO) in charge of the council area disappeared with the ballot materials, leading to the Assistant Electoral Officer (AEO) being dispatched to conduct the election.

This led to delays in delivering the official results.

He further mentioned that the video showing the alleged results was staged, with the individuals involved creating a false narrative to mislead the public.

The AKISIEC chairman also addressed logistical challenges during the election, attributing late arrivals of materials to network issues at Zenith Bank, which delayed the disbursement of funds.

Despite these hurdles, he emphasized that the election was conducted fairly, with results recorded on the official forms and submitted accordingly.

Ikoiwak also praised the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for providing AKISIEC the autonomy necessary to ensure a free and fair election process, noting that the exercise reflected the will of the people.

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